Engine



A. J. CULP.

ENGINE- APPLICATION FILED JULY 24. 1918.

1,376,516. Patented May 3,1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. J. CULP.

ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24. 1919.

1,876,516. Patented May 3,1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A. J. CULP.

ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY24 I918- 1,376,516. Patented May 3, 1921.

p 4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

amounted Aim/14,0

PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR JOSEPH GULF, OF CLANTON, ALABAMA.

ENGINE.

Application ,filed July 24, 1918.

1 all to ham it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. GULF, a citizen of the United States. residing at (llanton, in the county of Chilton and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements,

in engines, and particularly to certain improvements in and additions to the engine illustrated in my Patent No. 1,211,095, patented January 2nd, 1917.

The object of the present invention is to provide improved means whereby compressed air may be used in forming the fuel charge for an internal combustion engine, and provide means whereby air at a constant pressure may be forced at intervals into the intake end of the internal combustion cylinder along with the fuel, and provide means whereby a constant pres sure of air may be maintained on the upper surface of liquid fuel in the fuel tank, this air having the same pressure as the air which is forced in the engine.

A further object is to provide a compressed air tank in which air is compressed by the power of the engine, and provide a charge forming means, provide a tank connected to the charge forming means andto the compressed air tank and having therein means for maintaining in the second named tank air at a constant pressure, and provide a fuel tank connected to the charge forming means and to the second named tank.

Other objects will appear in the course of the followin description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure it is a side elevation of an engins constructed in accordance with my invention;

2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view thereof; V

3 is a detailed fragmentary elevation of the main shaft and the sprocket eels showing the clutch'therefor;

dig. 1 is an end elevation of the engine;

5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig 2v 7 L Fig. 6 is a detailed fragmentary elevation of the engine cylinder and the eccentric actuated valve and ignition operated nieghanism thereof;

Specification of LettersPatent.

' Patented. May 3, 1921.

Serial No. 246,518.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary elevation of the governor and allied parts;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the governor on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are diagrammatic views of the internal combustion engine and the mechanism for controlling the opening of the inlet and exhaust valves and for controlling ignition, the several figures showin j the several different events. teferring to these drawings, and partic ularly to Figs. 1 and 1, 1O designates the base of the engine upon which is mounted a suitable supporting frame comprising the vertical standards 11 having suitable cross braces, the longitudinal beams 12 and the transversely extending saddles 13, which support the explosive engine cylinder 1 1 and the compressor cylinder or pump 15. Longitudinal beams 16 connect the standards 11 and the upper ends of the standards carry saddles ,17 and the upper ends of the standards are upwardly flared as at 18 to support a compressed air storage tank or reservoir 19 which is formed, as illustrated in Fig. 2, with a jacket 20.

Mounted upon the beam 16 in suitable bearings is the transverse crank shaft 21, the cranked portion 21 of which is connected by piston rod 22 to the piston 23 of the cylinder 14. A piston rod 240011-- nects the crank 21 to the piston 25 of the air compressor 15. This piston 25 is formed .with inwardly opening air inlet valves 26 held in place by springs 27. Upon the outward stroke of the piston 25, the

valves 26 are opened, allowing air to enter the interior of the con'ipressor 15 and upon the mwar stroire of the piston, the valves 1 will close and the air compressed within the compressor will be forced out through the pipe or duct 28 into the storage tank 19.

This pipe line 28 is provided with a check valve 29 of any usual or suitable charaeter.

ll lounted upon the beams 12 in suitable bearings are the transversely extending rotor shafts 30 carrying rotors 31 mounted in communicating casings 32. These casings are connected by the duct 33 and the rotors are provided with a plurality of bladese l, each blade having a radial face and a face whichis tangential to the rotor. it will be noted from Fig. 2 that the rotors are not mounted concentrically in the cars ings orhousings 32 but that the ends of the blades move in approximate contact with the upper wall of the housing 32 but are spaced from the lower wall thereof for the purpose which will be later stated.

From the storage tank 19 leads a pipe 35 which opens into the first rotor casing 32. Disposed within the pipe 35 is the governing valve 36 which is a rotatable valve on the order of a throttle valve and disposed between the valve 36 and the rotor casing 32 is a cut-off valve 37 The operation and purpose of these valves will be later stated.

The cylinder 14 is jacketed as at 38 and the compressed air after it has done work upon the rotors 31 is discharged into a pipe 39 whichopens into the jacket 38 and from thence this cool exhaust air is conducted by means of a pipe 40 to the jacket 20. The cylinder 14: is provided in its head with the usual spark plug 41 illustrated in Figs. 9, 10 and 11 and with a charge inlet pipe 42 and with an exhaust valve 43. The exhaust valve is formed with a spindle 44 extending out through the casing 45 and the exhaust valve is held to its seat by means of a spring 46. The'casing 45 has a pipe 47 leading from it which discharges into the pipe 40. Thus when the valve 43 is opened by mechanismwhich will be hereafter described, the air discharging through the pipe 40 into the jacket 20 and out through the final exhaust 48 acts to draw the exhaust gases from the cylinder 14 so that just as soon as the valve 43 is opened, the exhaust gases will be sucked out from the cylinder and the cylinder thoroughly scavenged.

From the storage tank 19, a pipe 49 leads into a pressure regulating chamber 50. Disposed within the pipe 49 is a pressure regulating valve51, this valve being in the form of a throttle valve-and being rotated to a more or less open position or a closed position by an arm 52 connected by a link 53 to a lever 54 mounted upon a bracket 55 at tached to the chamber 50. The upper portion of this chamber 50 is formed to provide a cylinder 56 which opens into the chamber 50 and disposed in this cylinder is a piston 57 having a rod58'which passes out through an opening in the cylinder 56 and carries a pin and roller at its upper end engaging in the slot 59 formed in the lever 54. A spring 60 urges the lever 54: downward and the valve to an open position, While the pressure of air within the chamber 50, acting on the piston 5? acts to urge the lever 52 upward thereby urging the valve to a closed position. Thus when the pressure within the chamber 50 is reduced beyond a predetermined amount, the piston 57 will fall and the valve will be opened to allow sure within this chamber has raised to such a degree that the piston 57 will be raised,

thus closing the valve 51 and cutting elf the supply of air. I have thus provided means for automatically regulating the pressure within the chamber 50 and maintaining this pressure constant at all times. By regulating the tension of the spring 60, any desired pressure may be maintained within the chamber 50.

Disposed below the chamber 50 is a gasolene tank or container 61 and leading from the chamber 50 is a pipe 62 having a branch 63 which leads into the upper end of the gasolene container 61. From the gasolene container 61 extends a pipe 64 having therein a needle valve 65, this pipe 6% opening into a pipe 66 which leads into the cylinder l l and constitutes a charge inlet pipe therefor. The compressed air above the gasolene in the tank 61 therefore acts to force the gasolene or other fuel down through the pipe 64 and into the pipe 66 and so into the cylinder 14, the passage of the fuel charge into the cylinder let being controlled by means of a valve 67 whose construction and operation will be later described.

The pipe 62 has a branch 68 which extends downward into a position in line with the pipe (36 and then opens into the pipe 66 through a valve casing 69 wherein is disposed a puppet valve 70 held to its seat by means of a spring 71 whose tension may be controlled by means of the wing nut 72.

Preferably a cut-off valve 73 is disposed in the pipe 63, this valve serving to shut oil the air from the pipe 62 when necessary to refill the gasolene container and also serves to regulate the passage of compressed air through the pipe (33 into the gasolene container. The gasolene container is provided with the usual receiving opening and duct leading into the container. The valve 63 serves to regulate the flow of gasolene to the supply pipe.

The valve 70 is of considerable importance, as this valve serves to control the flow of compressed air in proportion to the lion of gasolene. It will be seen that the compressed air from the chamber 50 passes out from pipe 62 and branch (33 into the pipe (30 and by tightening up the thumb nut 72 the pressure of the spring 71 can be increased. thereby diminishing the flow of compressed air and thereby increasing the percentage of gasolene with relation to the compressed air so as to secure a higher percentage of gasolene in the mixture. By loosening the nut 72, the flow of compressed air may be increased so as to secure a lower perrmitage of gasolene in the charge. This can also be secured by regulating the needle valve 65 and thus by controlling the valves 65 and 70, a complete control may be had of the combustible mixture or charge. The valve 67 as illustrated is a rotatable valve. normally closed, but opened at a certain period in the'cycle to permit the charge to pass into the cylinder 14. The means whereby this valve is operated, whereby the exhaust valve is operated and whereby the ignition is secured will be described later.

The rotors 31, as illustrated in Fig. 5, are provided with laterally disposed packing rings 74 urged outward against the side wall of the housing 82 by means of the springs 7 5. I do not wish to be limited, however, to this particular construction. The shafts 30 of these rotors, as illustrated in Fig. 1, are provided with the sprocket wheels 76 and the crank shaft 21 is also provided with the sprocket wheel 77 over which a sprocket chain 7 8 passes. This sprocket wheel 77 is loose on the crank shaft 21 but is adapted to be shifted into operative engagement therewith by means of a clutch 7 9 mounted upon the shaft 21 and operated by means of a clutch lever 80. This shaft .21 preferably carries upon it a fly wheel 81 and a belt wheel 82, whereby power may be transmitted from the shaft.

The clutch 79 is not only adapted to engage the sprocket wheel 77 with the shaft 21 or disengage it therefrom but it is also adapted to engage a sprocket wheel 83 with the shaft 21. The sprocket wheel 83 has a sprocket chain 84 which extends to any element which is operatively connected to the traction wheels of the machine if the engine is mounted upon a vehicle so that when running down hill or under like circumstances, the power of the traction wheel may be transmitted to the shaft 21 and this power he used for operating the air compressing pump and compressing air in the tank 19, means being provided for cutting off at this time the passage of fuel to the engine and stopping the action of the ignition system. Of course when-the clutch 79 is in a neutral position, neither of the sprocket wheels 83 or 77 are connected to the shaft and the shaft 21 is then operated entirely by the internal combustion engine 14. I

The valve 37, as before stated, is a cutoff valve for cutting off the admission of compressed air to the rotor casing 82. The valve 86 is for regulating the amount of compressed air actuating the rotors 31 and to this end I have shown this valve as athrottle valve having anarm 85 operatively so as to keep the speed of the rotors even and at any predetermined speed. 1 do not wish to be limited to any particular form of valve 36, but I have shown a throttle valve for purely illustrative purposes. 1 have not illustrated the governor for controlling this valve as this may be of any ordinary or usual type, or the valve may be connected to the governor which is used for controlling the valve 67 whereby the explosive mixture is allowed to pass into the cylinder 14 as will be later described.

The means for operating the several valves of the internal combustion engine and for the closing of the circuit through the spark plug to thereby ignite the charge is as follows: Mounted upon the shaft 21 is an eccentric 87 as illustrated in Figs. 6, 9, 10 and 11. This eccentric carries the usual eccentric ring 88 from which projects an arm 89, which is operatively connected to a slide 90, operating in guides 91. Pivotally connected to the slide 90, is a rod 92 which at its rear end is connected by means of a link 93 as will be later described.

Mounted upon the rod 92 is a contact member 94 which coacts with an electrical contact 95 disposed normally in the path of the member 94 and which is electrically connected to the spark plug 41. The contact member 94 is electrically connected to a battery 96 through the rod 92 as will appear. Mounted upon the rod 92 is a valve actuating member 97 which coacts with an arm 98 mounted upon a shaft 99 having a cranked. portion connected by a link 100 to a crank on the spindle of the valve 67. A spring 101 urges the arm 96 in a direction to close the valve 67, that is, into the position shown in Fig. 9. When the rod 92 moves toward the left in Fig. 9, this member 97 will engage the arm 96 and rotate the valve 67'to itsopen position.

Mounted upon the rod 92 is a member 102 which is adapted to ride upward upon a roller 103 carried upon a swinging rod 104. This rod extends transversely of the engine and is pivoted upon the frame of the engine at 105 and the roller as illustrated in Fig. 6, operates in a guide 106. In Figs. 9, 10 and 11, however, the swinging arm 104 is shown as being disposed vertically. This is because these Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are diagrammatic. When the member 102 strikes the roller 103 the member 102 rides up on the roller 103 so as to lift the rod 92and lift the valve operating member 97 away from the arm96, thus releasing this arm so that .the spring 101 returns the valve 67 to its closed position. The swinging rod 104 operatively engages the stem of the exhaust valve 43 and mounted upon the rod 92 is an adjustable member 107 which upon the return of the rod 92, as illustrated in Fig. 9, engages the roller 103 and shifts it toward the right in Fig. 9, thus opening the exhaust valve.

It will thus be seen that as the piston 23 moves inward into the cylinder 14, as illustrated in Fig. 10, the eccentric shifts the rod 92 inward and at the proper time the adjustable member 97 engages the valve oprc in" ever anc 03ers e vi ve 7 eatgl 9 1 1th al 6,

whereupon a charge of compressed air and gas enters the cylinder 1 1. As soon as the valve 67 has been opened to admit the charge, the adjustable member 102 rides up over the roller 103,thus lifting the member 97 out of its engagement with the lever 98 and releasing the valve 67 which immediately closes. As soon as this occurs and the piston 28 has advanced suiliciently into the cylinder M, the contact member 9-Zl engages with the contact member and the circuit is closed between the battery 96, the roller 103 to which the battery is connected on one side, the rod 92, the contact member 94, the contact member 95 and the spark plug. Gt course the usual induction coil may be used in this ircuit in the usual man nor to secure a high tension current. I have not illustrated this, however, this is obvious to any electrician. As soon as the charge has been exploded the piston 23 moves outward, and the rod 92 moving toward the right in Fig. 9 causes the member 10? to engage with the roller'103 shifting the swirl ing rod 10% toward the right in 9 forcing open the exhaust valve. As before explained, the exhaust air pas through the rotor casing, through the jacket a1 specifically through the passage e10 acts draw out the exhaust gases from the cylinder llwhen this valve is open.

As-beforestated, the link 93 is connected to a governor and thus when the engine speeds up beyond a predetermined point, this governor acts to lift the link 93 and this acts, as illustrated in dotted lines in 11, to lift the rod 92 to such a height that the several members 94 and-97 will not strike the parts with which they coact. Thus the inlet valve 67 will not be opened and the circuit through the spark plug will not be closed. As soon as the engine has slowed downto a proper speed, the rod 92 will be lowered and will resume its proper functions. The governing mechanism is illus- L to trated in Figs. 7 and 8. Mounted upon the shaft 21 is the fly wheel 81 and mounted upon the spokes of this fly wheel are the governor arms 108. These arms carry upon them weights 199 urged toward the axial center of the shaft by the springs and the oppositeends of these arms are operatively connected to sliding wedge 111 which coacts with the adjacent end of a lever 112. This'lever is pivoted as 1118 upon any suitable bracket or support and its opposite end is connected to the link 93 as illustrated in Fig. 7. Mounted upon the lever is an adjustable weight 11st. This weight is adjustable so as to counter-balance the opposite end oi the lever 112 and urge it upward against the conical roller 111. The general operation oi this invention is as follows: To start the engine the valve 51 is closed and air is pumped into the chamber 59 through an inlet opening 50 by an ordinary air pump until a sullicicnt pressure is secured in the chamber 50 to start the engine. Gasolcnc is, of course, disposed in the container 61. Then the fly wheel is turned on the crank shaft 21 and the explosive cusrine started in the usual manner thereby. proper pressure has been secured in the storage chamber 19, the valve 51 is released and connected to the controlfing link The engine ill'then operate automatically.

i /hen the pressure in the chamber 50 decroascs llGDlKl a certain point, the piston 57 allowing the valve 51 to open 25 is operating to force air into the 19, th compressed air in 19 is passing 'n the housing 32 and acting on the rotors herein so that the power of the compressed a r is used for operating rotors which assist in the driving of the shaft 21. By using two rotors, I obtain a double client with a single charge of compressed air and without the necessity of increasing the size of a rotor which would be necessary in case only a single rotor was used, thus doing away with i the necessity of increasing the charge in order to secure this double effect. It is ob vious that by lifting the rod 92 in the manner heretofore described the explosive engine may be stopped. The piston, of course, will reciprocate but without any explosion of the charge and inasmuch as the rotors are geared to the shaft 21, the rotors will continue to drive the compressing piston just so long as the air in 19 is compressed to a sufiicicnt degree to drive the rotors and thus the rotors will operate the compressor until the pressure in the tank recedes beyond a predetermined point. A weight 114 on the governor lever 112 is adjustable toward or The compressed air in the U to its fullest extent the valve 13 lll) from the pivot pin 113 and is also shiftable to the opposite side of the fulcrum 113 to thereby cause that end of the lever connected with the end 93 to raise and thus lift the rod to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 11 and thus render the explosive engine inoperative so that the clutch illustrated in Fig. 3 may be used to connect the shaft 21 to the traction wheels of the machine, provided the engine is mounted upon a vehicle.

It will be noted in Fig. 2 that the bottom sections of the motor casing, as before stated, are spaced from the rotors so as to give the compressed air an under-shot action on the working faces of the rotors, as shown. I do not wish to be limited to the details of construction illustrated and it is to be understood that suitable bearings are to be provided for the rotated parts and that any desired valves may be used operating on the principle described and that the engine may be mounted in a different form of frame than that illustrated. The details of con struction and arrangement of parts may, therefore, be varied in many ways without departing from the spirit of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

It is to be understood that the valves 86, 37, 51, 65 and 73 are conventionally shown and that regular cut-off valves will be used where it is desired to cut off entirely the flow of fluid through a pipe, and that any suitable type of regulating valve may be used. where it is necessary to control the amount of flow through a pipe or conduit.

It will be noted that one of the important objects secured by my mechanism is to provide means whereby air can be compressed. and heated so that the air can be successfully used as a motive power, and that a further object which is attained is to compress and store air by an internal combustion engine, which air constitutes part of the fuel of the engine.

I claim 1. A mechanism of the character described including an explosive engine having a cylinder provided with an inlet pipe, an air compressor driven by the explosive engine. a storage tank into which the air compressor discharges, a pressure regulating tank into which the storage tank discharges, a pressure controlled valve controlling the admission of air from the storage tank to the pressure regulating tank, a pipe connecting the pressure regulating tank to the inlet pipe, a spring retracted valve normally preventing the passage of air under pressure into the inlet pipe, a fuel tank operatively connected to the pressure regulating tank, to receive a" therefrom, and connected to the inlet pipe between the said spring retracted valve in the inlet pipe and the cylinder and provided with a feed regulating valve, and an intermittently operated admission valve mounted in the inlet pipe adjacent the cylinder.

2. A mechanism of the character described including an explosive engine having an inlet pipe, an air intake pipe, an air compressor operated by said engine, a pressure regulating tank receiving air from the air compressor and having a valve controlling the admission of compressed air to the pressure regulating tank and maintaining a predetermined pressure therein, a fuel tank connected to the inlet pipe of the engine, an air pipe extending from the pressure regulating tank to the fuel tank to cause the discharge of fuel therefrom, an air pipe extending from the pressure regulating tank to said intake pipe of the engine, a valve in the intake pipe opening upon the suction stroke of the engine to establish communication between the pressure regulating tank and said intake pipe, and means for regulating the pressure required to open said valve.

3. A mechanism of the character described including an explosive engine having an intake pipe, a fuel tank therefor having a pipe connection to the intake pipe, a valve for regulating the passage of fuel from the fuel tank to the intake pipe, and pipes communieating with the fuel tank and with the intake pipe of the engine connected to a source of air under pressure, a valve opening upon the suction stroke of the engine and controlling passage from said source of compressed air to the intake pipe, and the pipe leading from the fuel tank opening into the intake pipe between the air pipe and the engine.

In testimony whereof ll hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR JGSEPH GULF.

Witnesses:

LUOILE SMrrI-I, R. M. MILLER. 

